x-x-x-x-x. Politics of Sex, Drugs and Depression

Forgot in the last entry that it’s not just the green neon bank building that makes the Dallas skyline, but the giant globe of white lights next to it. Like a huge snowflake. We also saw this insane fuckin’ twisted-looking glass building that was pretty different, but I don’t know if you could see it at night.

On Saturday night we played in Austin with Jerm Pollet for about 30 people. Sitting around on couches at a place called the Empanada Parlour which is owned by a South American woman who’s a cook, and who is under attack by the Sheratin Hotel behind the business. We had a good show playing for the angelic fans of Jerm and the small following that we have in Austin. Also brushed up on our Henry Miller at Jerm’s house later at night. Rivka and I were up ‘till 7:00 in the morning.

At about four A.M. we got the call from Mia confirming the show in Houston. Place is called the Creative Autonomous Collective or something and it’s like a flea-bitten communist/anarchist homeless shelter where they have a barter cafe/bookstore/clothing swap and shit. There were five bands on the bill. One of whom turned out to be the Freneticks from Montreal who we played with once at the Dumba Collective in Brooklyn. Small world. Had a good time. Shout-outs to Mia, Megan and Laura.

On the way towards Pensacola that night, you wouldn’t believe some of the industrial shit south-east of Houston. I mean, there’s the smells (and that’s it’s own voyage of discovery), but there’s some… You know those smoke-stacks where they have a fire at the top to like, burn off some of the toxic poisons before releasing shit into the air? This one flame was like, fifty feet high. You can see it for miles and it’s like looking at the fuckin’ sun. Then there’s this one that’s like, forked. It’s like a drive through hell. Eat your heart out Dante.

It was cool too, because the Miller book we we’re looking at is called Airconditioned Nightmare and it’s all about his trip through these American industrial cities in the ‘Forties.

Played for a bunch of punk kids and anarchists in Pensacola on Monday and drunk artists in Montgomery last night. Funny the different scenes you build up depending what venues you play in any given town. Cities, officially I guess.

Please have a ton of fun.

Speaking of fun. At the CAC in Houston this girl was giving away these booklets about homeopathic cures for STDs and shit like that. She says that if a guy comes in you (and you’re a female) you can put vitamin C in your vagina right afterwards and keep taking tons of it for a bunch of ddays and it can keep you from getting pregnant. Cool stuff. In-for-mation, baby.

Peace. Love, mike |

25/03/2001